Antioch: Murder suspect arrested after evading police in stolen car

ANTIOCH-- A third suspect has been arrested in connection with the Nov. 14 slaying of a 32-year-old Antioch man after a brief police chase Monday that ended in a crash, police said.

Police did not release the suspect's name, citing the ongoing investigation.

About 1:20 p.m., detectives conducting surveillance on the suspect in the area of Bryan Avenue and A Street spotted him driving a Hyundai Santa Fe that was reported stolen during a carjacking in Antioch on Sunday, Sgt. Santiago Castillo said.

When officers tried to pull the vehicle over, the driver and his 21-year-old passenger took off southbound on A Street as police followed him, Castillo said. The driver lost control of the car at the intersection of Lone Tree Way and Putnam Street and crashed into a BMW traveling north on Lone Tree Way.

Nobody was injured in that crash, Castillo said.

The two suspects got out of the vehicle and ran into a nearby neighborhood, Castillo said. Police found both men after a short search, and they were arrested without incident.

Two other suspects have also been arrested in connection with this homicide, Castillo said. None of the suspects' names and photographs are not being released as further investigation takes place, police said.

They were arrested in connection with the death of Juan Hernandez, who was found dead of a gunshot wound Nov. 14 outside a friend's apartment at 2301 Sycamore Drive, alongside a device initially thought to be a bomb, police said. Walnut Creek bomb squad officers determined that the object was not a bomb, but police did not say what it was.

Advertisement

APD plans to present this case to the Contra Costa County District Attorney's office this week, Castillo said. Anyone with information regarding this case may contact Det. Danielle Joannides at 925-779-6931.